Memorial Day is a time to take pause and look back upon the sacrifices made by those in military service.

The original Memorial Day was set aside as a day of mourning (called "Decoration Day") for those who died in one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. That battle occurred amid the greatest fracturing in the country's history, coming close to the dissolution of the nation itself. The nation mourned its losses, and began the process of moving forward together - a lesson worth remembering.

Subsequent generations have taken the holiday as a time to pay homage to those who died in the many military conflicts since.